Soy Dominicano … I am a Yankee

During the final month of 2008, one team stole the spotlight. Its already famous roster grew even more famous. A team full of the richest and most talented players in the game seemingly became more rich and famous by the day.

All the while, the team’s fans smiled.  They laughed. They rubbed it all in your face. Now more than ever, the faithful believe 2009 will be the year their team gets back to the Promised Land.

But don’t blame the fans of the Dominican Republic if they come across as cocky entering next year’s World Baseball Classic. The goal is a championship — and anything less would be a failure.

Can you blame them? The Dominican team will boast players like Jose Reyes, David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez and seemingly every other Latin star in the game.

Sound familiar?

The Dominicans are the New York Yankees of the WBC. Or are the Yankees the Dominicans of the regular season?

Either way, the big names are there for both clubs. So is the fame, the money and the hype. But as everybody knows, big names don’t win always championships. Teams win championships. No, it’s not just something your coach tells you as a child. It’s boring but it’s true. Need proof?  Here’s a test.

Can you name the winner of the 2006 World Baseball Classic? Now name at least three players on that winning team.

I didn’t think you could. (Here’s a hint: they played as a team and had been for several months leading up to the tournament.)

Now name the Yankees shortstop, third baseman, new first baseman, staff ace and closer. Do you remember the last time the franchise won a World Series?

I thought you could.

What the Dominicans and the Yankees have in common (in addition to star-power) are championship-caliber players without a championship in recent years. They are counting on the big names to change that but I’m not buying it yet.  Can the stars play as a team is what I want to know? What happens if the Dominicans don’t make it out of the first round? What if the Yankees don’t make it the playoffs?

Both could happen.

And here’s another reason why it gets tricky. The other teams are not afraid to play the Dominican Republic or the Yankees. The teams in the American League East did not forfeit the season. Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Panama, Mexico and the United States are actually looking forward to playing and beating the Dominicans.

Who is to say another team from Latin America will not win the title? This is baseball and anything can happen on any given day. Don’t tell me you predicted the Tampa Rays would win the AL East and make it to the World Series. And if you did, you are probably lying or a Rays fan and if the latter is the case, you have really only seen one good year of baseball in St. Pete in your lifetime. I love your city, your park and your passion. I just need more than one good year in Florida. That said, I still think the Rays are the team to beat in 2009.

But are the Dominicans going to win the WBC? I’m not betting on it — yet. I don’t doubt the Dominican desire to win and I never will, but have you seen Team USA’s tentative roster? Venezuela’s? It’s a good thing that every Dominican star is said to be interested in playing in the World Baseball Classic because they are going to need all the help they can get.

“The true Dominican baseball player, because of his determination, because of his desire to play winter baseball — the fans love him over there, he cannot be kept off of the Dominican team,” Dominican manager Felipe Alou said earlier this month. “That being said, my problem is going to be coming up with the minimum of 13 pitchers and the maximum of 28 players on the roster. Some tremendous Dominican baseball players won’t compete in the tournament.”

But some of the biggest names will compete for the DR. And just like with the Yankees, that fact only guarantees a lot of people will be buying tickets to watch a baseball work in progress.

Let the games begin.